Australian rookie Travis Bazzana hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot as part of a four-run first inning, sending the Cleveland Guardians on their way to a 6-4 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
Guardians starter Parker Messick (4-1) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits. The left-hander struck out seven and walked one, helping American League Central-leading Cleveland to its third consecutive victory.
Closer Cade Smith worked his third day in a row, picking up his 11th save in 13 opportunities, despite allowing Byron Buxton to single and score in the ninth.
Minnesota pulled within 4-3 in the seventh on Buxton’s 12th homer, a two-run blast against Matt Festa that scored Royce Lewis. He drew closer to Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox, who lead the league with 15 home runs.
Jose Ramirez extended the Guardians’ advantage to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single off Eric Orze. Austin Hedges singled off the upper body of reliever Anthony Banda in the eighth, scoring Bazzana with another insurance run.
The Twins got on the board in the sixth when Austin Martin dropped a double into short right, then scored on Ryan Jeffers’ sharp single. Jeffers later attempted to come home on Luke Keaschall’s single, but was thrown out by center fielder Petey Halpin.
Bazzana’s home run made it 4-0 and scored Ramirez, who had reached on an error by second baseman Keaschall. Baserunner Angel Martinez grazed Keaschall, but the umpires ruled no impediment took place before the ball was fumbled.
Steven Kwan came home on the error and Martinez scored on Rhys Hoskins’ subsequent sacrifice fly, prompting three of the four runs charged to Prielipp to be unearned.
Prielipp struck out six over five innings, giving up four hits and two walks. The rookie lefty has allowed two or fewer earned runs in all four of his starts in the majors.
Steady rain fell throughout the first six innings, but play was not delayed.
